ST. CLOUD, Minn. – The Southwest Minnesota State softball team opened its 2025 season with a pair of non-conference losses to NSIC foes Minnesota Duluth and Bemidji State on Saturday at the Kelly Laas Memorial Tournament inside the St. Cloud State Husky Dome.
SMSU suffered a 7-0 loss to UMD in the late morning before falling 3-2 to Bemidji State in the afternoon.
SMSU kicks off the year 0-2 overall while UMD moves to 2-0 and BSU drops to 0-1.
Morgyn Otte (0-1) was tabbed with the loss against Minnesota Duluth after allowing six runs on six hits while gathering a pair of strikeouts.
Jordan Bussey threw two innings in relief, allowing the final UMD run and also grabbing two strikeouts.
Jordyn Marsh tossed an inning of relief in her first collegiate appearance and recorded her first career strikeout.
The Mustangs were limited to just three hits in the loss.
Abby Boxrud,
Abby Russell, and
Grace Anderson all tallied a hit.
UMD opened up the scoring right away in the first inning with Nicole Schmitt hitting a three-run home run to give the Bulldogs a 3-0 lead.
Nicole Schmitt again was heroic for the Bulldogs this time in the third inning, plating a runner from third with a double down the left field line. Schmitt would not be on base for long as the following batter, Morgan McMillan, homered to left center to increase the margin to six runs.
The final UMD run came in the seventh inning off a sac fly from Sierra Thomas.
Alyssa Williams (1-0) earned the win for UMD after holding SMSU to two hits while striking out three in four innings.
SMSU put up a hard fight against Bemidji State in the loss.
Karlie Miller (0-1) was given the loss against BSU after allowing three runs (two earned) on six hits and three walks in a complete game. Payton Prissel (1-0) earned a win after holding off the Mustangs in a complete-game outing.
BSU kicked off the game by scoring a run in the first inning to take an early lead. SMSU would respond in the bottom half of the inning, using a left-field single by
Abby Boxrud that scored
Riley Kramolisch to tie the game at one run apiece.
Karlie Miller advanced both the runners on a groundout to second base, putting a runner on second and third with
Emma Humpal coming to the plate. Humpal drove a ball over the second baseman's head, scoring both runners.
Unfortunately, the SMSU runner on third base would be called out for leaving early, putting an end to the inning and leaving SMSU at one run.
A passed ball scored the next BSU run in the sixth inning before the Beavers struck again with a home run in the seventh inning.
The Mustangs started a rally in the bottom of the seventh with
Karlie Miller hitting a lead-off double and then advancing to third to put SMSU in a good spot with no outs. Humpal and Webber would both ground out, scoring Miller in the process.
A pop-out would end the rally and stall the comeback.
SMSU is back on the diamond tomorrow, playing Minnesota Duluth at 10 a.m., before facing off with tournament host St. Cloud State at 2 p.m.
